Filter for foot-valves.



W. H. ELLIOTT.

'FlLTE-R ma FOOT VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. I918- J'Batented Apr. 23, 191.8.

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To all whom it may concern-r Y Be it known that I, Wrrmnm HQ Enmorr'r, a citizen of the United fitateea resldnrg at Vi ashmgton, in the District of Columbia,

have: lllVll-tecl certain new and useful lim provenrents in Fi-lt'ers fforr FoohValves', oi?

whichthe following is a specification. Tliis invention relates to straining or til-w tering devices'and has particular reference to arfilter or serfor foot valves.

In supplying water to 1 steam pl rtsvlo fronts, it" is: usual to suspend foot or s-uct1on"v.-il1ve cn-ted on river or other \vate into the" water at the end of a pipe line through which water is pumped from the river or other water source to supply the steam boilers. These foot valves usually require a guarclor strainer otsomesort, and particularly in those cases where the foot valves are suspended in tide-waterit is necessary to provide filtering guards or: strainers to prevent floating weeds and river grass" from clogging the foot valveand also from being drawn into'the pipe line. Those filtering guards or strainers which have heretofore been known'to me areas subjectito clogging from the-grass and Weeds, even though kept away from the val'vcs,fas are the valvesthemselves and it is the object of this invention to provide a filtering box 01 strainer which will ate all .tnnes maintain a freeflow of strained wa ter to the foot valve, regardless of the flow of the tide. Thus, generally Speaking, I provide an elongated. box, whose sides, in plan view, preferably form a] diamondshaped 0utli'ne,lthe acute angular corners of the diamond-shape extending up and down stream, so that a minimum opportunity is provided for river growth to catch onto the box. Furthermore, since all. of the sides of the box, are provided with passages for the flow of water, the tide or current which tends to deposit grass upon one acute angledcorner will tend to free the opposite corner of clogging grasses, sothat at all Fig.2.

tive posit rinrnn' non meta tas I v r Specifieati on of Letters Patent, PELEEM-tBUl lN 3s l a ple-anon irreeretr ar 2s; 191st; Serial no. 219,649

= F 211s, n l'ongiitudiiml sectionsutheree. through, and v Fig; =31 is a sictionl on the-line 3+-3 oi Referring more particularly. to the draws strainer ingis, 1. represents the verticalelement of -a pipeline which is extended onttfrom the shoreof a river or other body of" waten for the purpose of pumping Water into: the boiler system; of a power 1;)lant. As iscustomary, the lower end oi? thepipe element 1 is provided with a suction or: foot valve 2, the

valve being, shown in agraphic mannerin the present case, merely to illustrate its a relaa filter or strainer box 3 isiformed, essentially,

of a closed top el, a closed bottom S-Jand a plurality of sides 6. Inthe present case the within the filter box 3.

number of these sides is four and they are L so joinedlto the topiandbottonithat a somewhat elongatedpdiamondrshaped receptacle is formed, with r the pipe line element 1 pro? jec ted: through the center of the topplate i li i so that the foot valve'Qis. freely suspendetl within the box. Inlocating the filter box withinthe bodyof Water, the acute angled corners Tare located-so that they point in the directions of currents in the body of water. Thus, when located in a river, the apexes 7 are pointed into the direction of the current and as aresult meet, not only the ordinary flow of the water in its course down stream, but meet reversals of the cur rent due to the flow of the incoming tide.

By thus positioning the acute angled apexes 7, the sidesG are placed at gentle angles to the flow of the water in either direction, so

that grass, weeds and other obstructions are fended ofi' from the foot valve and induced to pass beyond the box.

The side plates 6 are provided with the MW elongated parallel horizontal slots 8 through which the water is given free access to the body of the box the slots 8 being properly proportioned to prevent the passage of grass and weeds to the interior of the box. At

certain seasons of the year, when great quanby being thrown against the sides 6 by the flow of water will clog the slotsiupon that side of the box. However, this action will not interfere with the proper flow of the water. to the foot valve, as the downstream sides will be kept free of the grass,,and the foot valve will be properly flooded at all times. Likewise, when the tide changes so that the'current is started upstream, if grass then mats against the downstream sides of the box, the upstream flow will free the grass from the uppersides. Thus, it is practically impossible for the box to become clogged in such manner as to prevent'the access of water to the foot valve, and at the sametime, all grass and weeds are prevented from coming within the reach of the foot bottom,'thereby securely anchoring the filter box. On the other hand, if it becomes necessary'at anytime to remove the filter box,

' the piles 10 may be readily withdrawn without injuring the box, In some cases it may be found desirable or necessary to use anchors other than wooden piles. Thus, pipe sections may be passed through the openings 11 anddriven into the river bottom, and

then filled with concrete, this method of anchoring the box providing a more permanent structure.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple but effective structure for insuring a free flow of clean water to a foot valve at all times, so that it will practically never be necessary to shut down a plant which is equipped with my invention, for the purpose of cleaning the foot valve or suction pump. Therefore, aside from its economy of structure, it results in a practical economy of labor and time in the operation of a plant.

What is claimed, is:-

1. A filter box for foot valves, consisting of top and bottom plates, and a plurality of side plates having elongated slots for the passage of water, said side plates being disposed in acute angular relation so that when the box is anchored in a stream, the acute angled apexes lie in the direction of the current.

2. A filter box for foot valves, consisting of top and bottom plates, and a plurality of side plates having elongated slots for the passage of water, said side plates being (lisposed in acute angular relation so that when the box is anchored in a stream, one acute apex points up-stream and another acute apex oints down-stream.

3. X filter box for foot valves, consisting of top and bottom plates, and a plurality of side plates arranged in a diamond-shape, so as to have two acute-angled apexes, which may lie upstream and down-stream respectively to present said side plates at slight inclines to the current, said plates having elongated slots for the access of water to the box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM H. ELLIOTT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

